Device for driving fishes.



DEVICE vFOR DRIVING FISHBS, APPLIOATION FILED JULY 20, 1909.

Patented Dec.20, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' c. K.' FREER. DEVICE FOB. DRIVING IISHBS. APTLIOATION FILED JULY 20,1909. 978,872. Patented Dec. 2o, 1910.

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6m rgb 7 v I l \7 WTNESSES INVENTOH A TTOHNEYS THE Nmmls PETER: co.,WASHINGTON, n. c.

CHARLES K. FREER,

TES

or SANDUSKY, oHIo.

DEVICE FOR DRIVING FISHES.

To all whom it may concern:

13e it known that I, CHARLES K. FREER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Sandusky, in the county of Erie and ,l

State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Device for DrivingFishes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to devices for driving fishes and is to some extentin the nature of a subaqueous alarm.

More particularly stated, my invention comprehends a number of buoys tobe connected with a seine or the like, and containing alarms which arecontrollable electrically from a predetermined point, in order tofrighten the fishes and drive them into a preldetermined position oralong a definite pat i.

While my invention may be made and used in various Ways, I show forconvenienee only my preferred form of the mechanism, it being understoodthat reasonable variations may be made from this form without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective showing a seine equipped with my device, thelatter being controllable electrically from the boat appearing in thefigure; Fig. 2 is a diagram of the wiring from the battery to thevarious buoys carried by the seine; Fig. 3 is a detail showing invertical section one ofthe buoys; and Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig'. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow and showing how theelectric bell is mounted within the buoy.

A number of buoys 5, each having substantially an oar shape, areconnected by ancillary cables 6 with a main cable 7, this main cablebeing movable relatively to a net 8 and controllable from a boat 9. Eachbuoy 5 is thicker through its middle than through its top or bottom, asindicated in Fig. 4. Extending erosswise through the middle of each buoy5 are two supporting rods 10, and disposed intermediate the latter andsustained by the same is an electric bell 11, provided with a. gong 12and clapper 13.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led July 20,

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

1909. Serial No. 508,606.

Thebuoys are so shaped and ballasted as to retain their respectivevertical positions, as indicated in Fig. 4. x A battery 14 is carriedupon the boat 9 `:and extending from this battery are wires @7a whichare incorporated in the main lcable 7. Each ancillary cable 6 contains apair `of wires 6, 6b leading to the particular Iielectric bell 11associated with the particug lar buoy. At 15 is a switch whereby thecircuit is completed in multiple through all of lthe bells. The floats9a support the main lcable 7 by aid of lanyards 9b. Weights 10 dependfrom the main cable by aid of lanyards 10a. The ancillary cables 6 servethe double purpose of dragging the buoys 5 through the water and ofenabling the bells contained in the buoys to be energized.

The operation of my device is as follows: The parts being assembled andconnected up as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the operator moves the boat9 around at will so as to drag the various buoys 5 in a predetermineddirection. This maybe done, for instance, by moving the boat in a circleso that the various buoys sweep over a given area, all in the generaldirection of the net 8 into which the fishes are to be driven. Wheneverthe operator wishes to sound the alarm for the purpose of frighteningthe fishes, he closes the switch 15 over for a moment, or for any longertime desired. Moreover, he does this either intermittently orcontinuously, according to the immediate purpose he has in view. Eachtime the switch 15 is closed the following circuit is completed: battery14, wire 7a, the various wires 6a in multiple, the various electricbells 11, the various wires 6b in multiple to the wire 7b, thence backto battery 14. This energizes all of the bells which, being of theso-called continuous ring type, each sounds a continuous alarm sov lonOas the circuit is completed. rlhe fishes being thus frightened aredriven into the net or wherever desired in the water.

lVhile for convenience I show the buoys 5 as of a general oar-like form,I do not limit myself thereby, as obviously they may be of any otherform desired. Neither do I limit myself to the particular constructionotherwise, as variations may be made therein without departing from thespirit of my invention; neither do I limit myself to the employment ofbells, because obviously other forms of alarm may be substituted for thelatter.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

l. The combina-tion of a buoy made liollow and having substantially anoar shape, supporting bars mounted within said buoy and extendingcrosswise thereof, said supporting bars being below the center of grav-`ity of' said buoy, an electric bell mounted upon said supporting bars,and means for energizing said electric bell while said buoy is afloat. yy

`2. The combination of a longitudinal fleXible member, a plurality' offloating bodies connected therewith for supporting said flexiblemember'in a substantially horizontal position at a predetermined levelbelow the surface of the water, a plurality of buoys connected with saidmember and adapted to be dragged through the water, and a plurality ofWeights connected with said member for'preventing the same from risingto the surface of the water.

3. A device of the character' described, comprising a plurality offloats for resting upon the surface of the water, a line located belowsaid floats and supported by aid of the buoyancy thereof, a plurality ofsubstantially oar-shaped buoys connected with said line and disposedbelow the level of said floats, weights for preventing said buoys fromrising to the surface of' the water, a plurality of alarms carried bysaid buoys, and means controllable at will for energizing said alarmssimultaneously.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES K. FREER.

Titnesses W. B. STARBIRD, ROLAND WAGNER.

